The present invention relates to a semiconductor process system, its control method, computer readable memory and a device manufacturing method which can use the system.
A conventional semiconductor process system comprises a host computer for managing semiconductor processes, a semiconductor processing apparatus for performing semiconductor processes, and means for conveying materials such as wafers and the like, and automatically executes semiconductor processes via information communications of these components. In such system, the host computer instructs the convey means to convey materials to the semiconductor process apparatuses while monitoring the operation state of the semiconductor process apparatus, and the semiconductor process apparatus sends a material receipt report to the host computer upon reception of the material conveyed by the convey means. The host computer then issues a job instruction to the semiconductor process apparatus, which performs the semiconductor processes in accordance with the instruction. The semiconductor process apparatus holds job data such as process conditions and the like required for the instructed jobs in files, a database, and the like in advance, and executes the processes on the basis of the held job data upon reception of the job instruction from the host computer.
In this fashion, in the conventional system, the semiconductor process apparatus receives materials, and performs processes on the basis of job data held in advance in accordance with job instructions received from the host computer. However, when the semiconductor process apparatus does not hold any job data required for the instructed jobs, it must cancel or suspend the jobs, and the required job data must be installed on the semiconductor process apparatus to restart jobs. This results in poor job efficiency.